February 12, 2025

Due to forecasted weather conditions:

• All Community Use of Schools permits for this evening are CANCELLED.
• ALL St. Louis evening programs at ALL locations will be CANCELLED and Schools will be closed.

These programs include:

• • Personal Support Worker Full-time and Part-time evening class
  • ESL evening classes
  • Student Support Services
  • Secondary School Language Credit classes
  • Navy Co-op program
  • Homework Clubs at all participating Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools

Please check for updates regarding classes tomorrow.
In the future, always check the St. Louis website http://stlouis.wcdsb.ca for cancellation messages.

• All planned afternoon sports will continue.

February marks the beginning of Black History Month, and at WCDSB, we are kicking things off with an exciting visit to St. Peter’s Catholic Elementary School. This year, students won’t just be learning about Black history—they’ll be stepping into it.

Through My Place in This World, a groundbreaking curriculum resource, students will explore Africa’s glorious past before the pain and suffering of slavery and colonization. But this year, they will experience it like never before.

With the power of Virtual Reality (VR), students will be transported back to pre-colonial Africa to explore influential African figures and their contributions through gaming. This cutting-edge technology allows them to see, hear, and engage with history in a way that goes beyond textbooks—making the past come alive right before their eyes.

This VR experience is more than just an exciting way to learn—it’s an opportunity to deepen students’ understanding of Black heritage through the story of African King Shamba, famously known as the King of Peace. King Shamba sought nonviolent ways to resolve conflicts, emphasizing unity and understanding. One of his many contributions was introducing new games to his community, including Mancala, a strategic and thoughtful game that remains popular today.

In this VR experience, students engage in various challenges, including Mancala, to learn about his legacy. As they successfully complete each game, they earn a letter. At the end of the experience, they must unscramble these letters to reveal the final message—“Peace.” This serves as a powerful reminder of King Shamba’s legacy and the importance of peaceful solutions.

By stepping into history, students gain a firsthand perspective that fosters curiosity, empathy, and a more complete understanding of the world.

A huge thank you to Conestoga College for helping bring My Place in This World to life in such an innovative way. Their expertise and creativity have transformed this resource into an immersive experience, allowing students to step into history like never before. This partnership has made learning more engaging and meaningful, giving students a deeper connection to Black history.

This February, as we honour Black History Month, we’re not just sharing history—we’re giving students the chance to experience it firsthand. It was incredible to kick off this journey at St. Peter’s, where we witnessed the joy and curiosity sparked by this immersive experience.

Committee of the Whole Meeting: Monday, February 10, 2025 @ 6:00 p.m. – Agenda: 2025-02-10_COW_Agenda

Location:  1st floor Board Room, Catholic Education Centre, 35 Weber Street, Kitchener

General Information About WCDSB Board Meetings

Information About the Board of Trustees

(Note: Agenda files can be large. If you are experiencing issues downloading a file, right-click on the link and choose “Save Target As…”.)

Chair’s Award

Community Partner Award

Distinguished Graduate Award

This week, St. Michael’s students proudly showcased their cooking skills during a fun and educational visit to the Langs Community Centre. The students, who participate in the school’s Tuesday Cooking Club, are learning valuable life skills while working as a team to create delicious treats.

Every Tuesday from late January to early March, students gather to bake at the community centre, where their creations are taken home to share with their families. The cooking club runs for four weeks, allowing a new group of students the chance to participate each time. At the end of each session, the students receive a binder with all the recipes they’ve made, so they can recreate their favourites at home.

The club is so popular that St. Michael’s has created two sessions to accommodate the high level of interest. One session is held at the Langs Community Centre, while the other takes place at the school during lunch. In the school-based club, students made pizza together, which proved to be a hit among the group.

Each session is led by the enthusiastic and passionate Vanessa from the Cambridge Food Bank, whose energy and fun approach have made her a favourite among the students. Parent volunteers also play an essential role in supporting the students during the cooking sessions, helping ensure everything runs smoothly.

Parent involvement is key to the club’s success. The school’s Catholic School Advisory Council raised the funds needed to make this program possible, demonstrating the community’s commitment to supporting students’ growth outside the classroom.

This cooking initiative is just one of many ways St. Michael’s students are actively building connections within their community. In addition to the cooking club, students visit the Fairview Mennonite Nursing Home each month, where they engage with seniors through activities such as cooking, singing, and watching plays.

With the support of the Catholic School Advisory Council, the local community, and dedicated volunteers, St. Michael’s students continue to make a positive impact while learning essential skills that will benefit them for years to come.

January 29, 2025

Due to current weather conditions, SCHOOL BUSES, TAXIS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION ROUTES in Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich Townships are cancelled.

All Schools are OPEN. St. Louis online, daytime, and evening classes are open at all locations.

Community Use Programs are able to operate.

All Extended Day Childcare Programs are OPEN.

All Exams and assignments that are scheduled for today will be postponed to the next school day. Today’s cancellation causes all subsequently scheduled exams to be postponed to the next school day.

Please mark your child absent on SafeArrival if they are not at school today.

EXAMS SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 28 HAVE BEEN POSTPONED TO THURSDAY, JANUARY 30.

EXAMS SCHEDULED FOR TODAY, HAVE BEEN POSTPONED TO FRIDAY, JANUARY 31.

CREDIT RECOVERY DAY WILL BE MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3.

THE PA DAY WILL BE MOVED TO TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, TO ALLOW FOR POSTPONED EXAMS TO TAKE PLACE ON FRIDAY.

SEMESTER 2 WILL BEGIN ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5.

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) announces that Tyrone Dowling, Director of Education, will retire at the conclusion of his three-year term on September 1, 2025.

With over 30 years of service in Catholic education, Director Dowling has been a steadfast advocate for faith-based learning. He has served as an educator and administrator within WCDSB, as well as a superintendent with the Wellington Catholic District School Board, before assuming the role of Director. His legacy includes launching and leading the Board’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan and championing initiatives that have enhanced quality, inclusivity, and faith-based education for students across the WCDSB.

As we prepare to embark on the process of selecting the next Director of Education, we are confident that the strong foundation laid by Director Dowling will continue to guide the WCDSB community forward.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, staff, and the entire WCDSB community, we thank Director Tyrone Dowling for his remarkable contributions and leadership.

We wish him every blessing as he begins this next chapter and enters retirement.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Lema Salaymeh
lema.salaymeh@wcdsb.ca 
Senior Manager of Communications
Waterloo Catholic District School Board

Board of Trustees Meeting: Monday, January 27, 2025 @ 6:00 p.m. – Agenda: 2025-01-27_Board-of-Trustee Agenda

Location:  1st floor Board Room, Catholic Education Centre, 35 Weber Street, Kitchener

General Information About WCDSB Board Meetings

Information About the Board of Trustees

(Note: Agenda files can be large. If you are experiencing issues downloading a file, right-click on the link and choose “Save Target As…”.)